Hidden Behind The Mask
by Black Rebellious
Summary: Dark fic. The Sailor Scouts during the 1000 years before Queen Neo-Serenity rises discover not everything is as it should be.
1. Chapter I

The Latin music riped through the air, stiring her blood and moving her body

Hidden Behind The Mask

By Black Rebellious - a dark Sailor Moon/Gundam Wing cross-over

Rated: R- Drugs, self-torture, death and darkness.

Note: Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing belong to their respective companies and originators. This is a fanfic, meaning it's a piece of fiction written by a fan- both of which hold true in this story. 

Chapter I

---

The Latin music ripped through the air, stirring her blood and moving her body. Maybe it wasn't the music by itself- the drinks intoxicating her blood helped. Either way, her head swung from side to side, long blonde hair becoming tangled into knots. It wasn't the easy, comfortable music they were playing that night. No, it was the fast, breath-taking salsa music that girls listened to and wished they could dance to. It was the music that called for the human body to be pressed up against its opposite sex and just dance. She couldn't understand the words but it didn't matter. With all the tequila she'd drunken, she wouldn't have understood the singers even in her native tongue.

"Hey beautiful, care to dance?" a deep voice asked. She opened her eyes, not remembering when she'd closed them, and looked up into the dizzying picture before her. It was a guy, that much she could tell. The wild lights and smoke machine wouldn't have given even a somber person a good look at him but from what she could tell, he looked handsome. Of course, all guys looked handsome at this time.

She gave what she thought was an inviting smile- it looked as inviting as any drunk looked- and slipped her long fingers to his chest. "Of course," she mumbled, words tangled with the gasps of air she decided she suddenly needed.

He smiled and in the hazy smoke pulled her close to him. Real close. She gasped, feeling a drum beating beneath her hands. Slow and steady, the only thing that was steady for her in her current state. Sweat-filled air filled her nostrils as over fifty others crowded the popular night club, most as wasted as her. His breathing on her long neck brought her to some sense and suddenly she didn't like the situation. Not at all.

"I-I gotta go," she stated, pulling away. Her wobbly knees and his firm grip prevented her not-so-graceful escape and she was suddenly faced again with his smile. His white teeth fascinated her, so white against the blackness of the dance floor.

"Not so soon, babe," he crooned in her ear, warm breath blowing into her sensitive earlobes. She shivered violently. "We just started.

"But-" and her thought left as he suddenly stabbed her with something. Stabbing wasn't' the right word. It was more like poked. She barely caught sight of a long, silver needle coming out of her forearm before she became totally reasonless and collapsed.

---

The man held her limp body tight, keeping up the pretence that she was still awake in case of peeping eyes, until he thought it was safe. He lifted her carefully, not wanting any harm to come to his precious package, and made his way across the dance floor. He shouldn't have worried about curious onlooker. The entire dance crowd was wasted and those that weren't were far too interested in the vulnerable female population to bother with him. And if anyone asked, he already had a fail-proof answer. She was a friend and had taken one too many drinks. He was taking her home. It happened enough times at places like this, no questions would be pressed.

He allowed himself another glance at the resting beauty in his arms, asking him that inevitable question: why did it always happen to the good people?

She was about twenty but it didn't show. She looked as young as a fifteen-year old, possibly fourteen if she'd tried. At the moment, she looked positively wasted but he'd seen pictures of her when she smiled without wine, beer, or drugs and she glowed. Fake bracelets rattled on her too skinny arms and makeup that was caking off from her sweat hid her beautiful innocence. He carefully wiped the line of mascara that was beginning to run and, careful not to drag her incredibly long blonde hair, left the dance club.

Outside with the fresh air, he wasted no time in putting as much distance between the foul drug party in the club. He started with a casual pace but it quickly grew faster until he was running, carrying her weight like it was nothing. Which it was. He frowned again at the ribs showing beneath her mare mid-drift. Anorexic, most likely. The public image of a perfect woman seemed to be one hunched over by starvation. Personally, he liked the ones with a little more meat on their bones.

Though he didn't look it, his guard was on at its highest level. The alley he ran through was mostly empty but sounds and sight was deceiving. He knew from experience as a child of the street that quietness was nothing more then an invitation to trouble.

The part of the city he ran through was nothing more then a run-down, drug lord run Mafia hideout. Not even police dared to walk alone, even during the day. The nights meant death to those without experience, reputation, and protection and he had none.

A trashcan fell to the ground, scaring the shit out of him. He increased his speed, clutching the girl tighter and preying to the only god he trusted in that he wouldn't be visited that night. If not for him, then for the girl in his arms. The god seemed to listen because he reached his destination safety.

Two black motorcycles gleamed in the streetlight, looking to be free for the public. Had it not been for the man standing beside them, in broad sight and seemingly helpless beneath the streetlight's bright glare. He seemed that way to many but those who knew him, or at least of him, knew much better then to try to get in his way. The man holding the girl allowed himself a tight smile of relief and reached the bikes. Neither said a word but they had known each other long enough that verbal communication was no longer needed. They both got on their separate bikes, the first making special care of his package, before grabbing the handles and speeding off into the night.

---

"Well?"

The two boys had barely parked their bikes in their garage before being assaulted by the question. The first pulled off his helmet, shaking free his long brown braid and smiled. "No problem."

The other two men in the garage, the ones who had entered as soon as they saw the lights of the bikes, relaxed with relief.

The second man also pulled off his helmet, revealing a cold face and dark brown hair spiked wild in the air. He gave the new two a measuring look and then set to work unloading the girl. The other two, one with light, almost white hair and a soft face and the other with short brown hair, with the exception of one rather long bang that fell right into his fight eye, glanced at each other before moving forward immediately to help. Their eyes widened at the sight of such an innocent. "She's the one we're after?" the blonde asked lightly, delicately.

The first, the one with the braid, nodded with distaste. If he hadn't been in the blonde's presence, he would have spat. "Yea. That's her. Make you kind of wonder, doesn't it. If the report's are true…" His voice trailed off but all present heard the emphasis he put on a particular word. _If._

The second lifted her from her position and held her in an efficient manner. It was the only way he would touch anyone, without any true care but with a manner that spoke of his total control. The others watched and followed him outside.

The garage was a separate building from the house. Its size was similar to a one-level, modest middle class home but paled in comparison to the real living quarters of the team of young men. It was, in short words, a mansion. But not just any mansion. It was _the_ mansion. A concrete trail, plain white bricks, lead from the garage to the house, and the view was spectacular. Whoever built the mansion wasted no talents.

It was three stories from the outside but two levels were underground. Dozens of clean opened windows, outlined by billowing curtains, shone at them and the white wood looked freshly scrubbed. No weeds built up against the paths or leaned against the building. The small group entered through two front doors of ivory, doubled by glass, and the first room that they saw was the greeting hall. The receiving room, a great hall full with soft couches and a warm main fireplace could be caught from the left side of the greeting hall. From the right, a dining area with elaborate tables, carved from stained black wood, and beautiful cabinets with pottery, priceless artifacts and beautiful pictures stood desolate with no company to host. The greeting hall itself had its walls lined with armless couches where guests could catch a quick rest or someplace to sit as they took off their shoes and coats. Walk in closets and coat hangers were waiting to be used and two grand stairways leading to the upper levels were in straight view. Off to the side, a nearly invisible door led down a hall to a quiet study where the blonde would hold extensive phone conferences or would sit as he worked out company procedures, leading his corporation into the new years.

The first level was of courses the only level of the house most people ever saw. Only the few most trusted saw beyond that and even the maids were restricted from the lower levels. They didn't even know of their existence. The second level was mostly just two of the group's bedrooms and a special phone case that was never used. At least not yet. There wasn't much to the second floor, considering that much of the floor had been taken out to make the floor more of an elaborate maze of a balcony.

The third floor was the last three bedrooms and a stairway leading to the helicopter landing on the roof. The landing was carefully hidden and almost non-existent but emergencies had proven to show themselves in these boys lives and it was always better to be prepared then not.

The four walked to the receiving foyer and then to the backyard door. All around the mansion was clear lands. It was built on a rather strategic position, the top of a large hill. About four hundred yard down, enormous trees grew. A grown-in fence around the perimeter. Convenient. Which was the main reason the group choose this particular mansion.

Outside and a couple feet away, the four lifted the hidden entrance to the lower levels. It was a trapdoor, concealed beneath a layer of rather thorny rose bushes. A button placed well inside the thorns opened the hatch and the second boy, the one with the wild dark hair and stormy blue eyes, sacrificed his arm to press the button. The hatch clicked open and all four went down. The first boy was now carrying the girl, his braid swinging quietly with his steps. The second took his arm from the bush, ignoring the deep scratches caused by the vicious plant, and waiting until all were before him as he closed the hatch to its original resting position.

The first of the lower levels was an extensive training ground. There, the fifth and final member of the group hammered himself mercilessly, performing perfected sword swipes that he had preformed day after day for the last fifteen years of his life. He looked up briefly, seeing his comrades enter, but made no other sign of acknowledging their presence until he was through with his exercise.

"Is it finished?" he demanded, wiping the sweat from his face with a damp rag.

The braided boy sniffed and made a deal of plugging his nose. "Jeez, Wufei. Take a shower man! You smell awful."

Wufei made no comment to the statement, his posture declaring him to high of status to resort to name calling. Instead he kept his black eyes focused on the boy he deemed in control of the situation, the one who's stern face stared back at him with the same wither-less determination. He nodded once and Wufei backed off.

"Sally called," Wufei remarked over his shoulder, leaning over to do some cooling down exercises. He touched his toes and then folded his hands to the ground, back straight and knees unbent. "She said that there were some rumors going around about us Gundam pilots."

"Like what?" the brown haired boy with the long bang asked, studying Wufei's exercises with a measuring eye.

Wufei shook his head. "She never told me."

The blonde sighed. "It's probably because out of all of us, only two of us are making any effort to maintain contact with the outside world."

"And who would those two be Quatra?" the braided one asked good naturally. He had taken the time to lay the girl down on a resting mat, making sure she was comfortable.

Quatra smiled. "I would say that it would be me and Wufei. Me, because I take care of my colony and Wufei because he's a Preventer."

"What about Trowa?" the other pressed. He stood and stretched his back, grinning at the cracking sounds as his spine popped. "He's always hanging at the circus."

Trowa shook his head, his right eye showing momentarily from beneath his long bang. "I'm not doing anything to help anyone other then myself, Duo. Wufei is protecting the Earth and Quatra is protecting his colony, and consequently, the rest of the colonies."

Duo pouted. "What? Don't they count what I do as helping the colonies?"

Quatra smiled. "I don't think that many people would be concerned if your scrapping shop suddenly went out of business, Duo."

Wufei had finished completely and had already disappeared to the showers. The last man, the silent one, leaned against a wall and watched the scene played out. If truth be told, his entire attention was focused on the drugged girl on the floor but enough of his brain was also following the conversation. So when Duo asked him if he saw where Wufei went, he didn't hesitate to give the answer. Not that anyone expected less of the perfect soldier.

Quatra sighed loudly as the conversation dwindled off into silence and took a good look at the girl the latest mission had been focused on. She was a skinny thing, skin gaunt against her bones and rib cage nearly poking through. She wore what was the typical outfit from where she'd been picked up at. A revealing, tight skirt almost short enough to be considered underwear. Her shirt was more like a miniaturized sport bra. All that it covered was the absolute necessities and left nothing for the mind to wander about. Her long legs were covered with panty hose and had calf-high black boots. Her skirt and shirt were both deep red, almost crimson in color but her makeup was glittery yellow. Quatra supposed it was the latest trend or something like it. He stood. "I'll go get some clothes to change her into," he announced as he left. No one commented. Most likely because there was nothing to say.

A freshly showered Wufei walked in a few minutes later, still toweling his damp hair. He noticed the faint twitch of the girl's hand and prepared another shot of the sleeping drug. The silent one caught his attention without a sound and shook his head no. Wufei nodded and replaced the bottle of sleeping potion to its spot.

Quatra was soon back and Duo helped change the girl as modestly as they could. They placed an overlarge T-shirt over her own and slipped a pair of the smallest pants Quatra could fins over her panty hose. Her skirt and boots, as well as the large silver earrings and the several plastic bracelets she wore, were taken off and placed nearby. Quatra also made a fuss of cleaning her sweat dirtied face with a white rag that promptly went into the garbage, dark with sweat, grime, bad makeup and whatever else she had picked up. By then, the others had picked up on her waking consciousness and watched her apprehensively.

She stirred and the first thing she did was stretch. Like a cat after a long nap, her long arms and legs stretched out as far as they could go, raising her hips above the ground. She yawned largely, tongue curling up in her mouth. Her arms then separated and, in a show of range, stretched further before she folded them back to her sides. Even her toes stretched out and Duo quietly thought that if she had claws they would be out as well. finally, she curled up into a little ball and rolled over to her side. She was asleep again. She had gone through the entire exercise without opening her eyes.

Quatra scrunched his face up in confusion and Duo laughed to himself at the strange behavior of their newest acquaintance.

---

"Have you found her yet?"

*Negative. She's gone. No one has seen her since Saturday night.*

"Where did they see her? Did you check there?"

*Yes. It was at…at the club she liked to go to. Andrew-I mean, David said he saw her come in, even served her a few drinks. He never saw her leave but she was gone by closing.*

In her room, a dark haired priestess groaned. She was really just in training but seeing as there was no one else to watch the temple, she'd personally upgraded her status. A hand went to her forehead, rubbing the sides of her eyes as though the motion would stop the headache raging in her head. For the last two weeks, her leader and friend had been pulling tricks on them, disappearing without a trace and then reappearing without a word. Each time, she was totally wasted and the last time so much so that her life was at stake. Today was Monday, getting close to four in the afternoon. And the priestess was getting frantic.

She held up her watch-like communicator and looked at blue haired girl, about her own age and who's face looked just as worn as she assumed hers did. "Well, just take a break Amy. No use in exhausting ourselves."

*Alright* the girl responded and the communicator went out.

The priestess pressed another button on the device and a new face appeared. _I didn't want to do this…_

The new girl looked tired, not the kind from tearing yourself apart looking for a lost friend but the good kind you get from a good workout. Her brown hair was pulled into a pony and she looked surprised at seeing the priestess.

*Ray! What are you calling me for?* Her tone was defensive, almost offensive. Her eyes were narrowed in the same feeling.

"Lita, there's a problem."

*Yes, well deal with it yourself. I told you, I quit. So stop trying to contact me-*

"Lita, Serena's gone. She's been missing for two days. No one's seen her." Lita's defensive glare faltered a bit and Ray pressed on. "Look, I know you're still mad about…about that but we need you. We need everyone. The Scouts are falling apart and Serena's already hurt. She was hurt before you and Mina left. You guys…" Ray gulped and changed her guilt trip plan as she saw the glare gather strength again. "She needs you guys. She needs all of us. Especially now."

Lita seemed to consider it. Her eyes hardened. *All right. I'll be back tomorrow. But only for Serena. As soon as I find her, I'm leaving.*

Once more, the watch went blank. Ray let out the breath she had no idea she was holding and just sat there in her room, not wanting to make the last call she knew she needed to make. The fire tried to comfort her. It cast its flames towards her, warming her and lighting the room at the same time, giving her the strength to push the last of the symbols on her communicator.

Almost as soon as she pressed it, a blonde haired girl with a deadened face appeared. A face deadened by sorrow and unbearable pain. Immediately, Ray regretted pushing the button and had the girl's eyes not lit up, even dimly, at seeing Ray, she would have thrown the watch into the fire.

"Mina…"

*Ray. How are you?* Mina's voice had a forced cheerfulness to it that even Mina could hear but Ray supposed it made her feel better, just trying to act like nothing was wrong.

Ray took a deep breath. "Mina, something's happened." Mina's unfocused eyes began to focus on her and Ray could feel the powerful gaze, even through the communicator. "Ser-Serena's disappeared and-"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the reaction happened. Mina's jaw went slack and her eyes went blank as a self-loathing expression took over her once-beautiful face. Ray wanted to slap herself. She could almost hear Mina's thoughts, tearing her up inside. _Oh god, I failed again. I failed, what a miserably bitch. I-I can't stand this. I don't deserve this. Gods, I failed so bad. So bad. So bad. I failed. I failed. I failed…_But Ray didn't have to hear them. She'd heard Mina muttering them after the first accident and that was enough. "Mina-"

Mina winced at Ray's voice, almost like she'd been physically slapped. *I-I'll come as soon as I can. I'm so sorry, Ray. So sorry-*

The communicator went dead and Ray had to resist the urge to throw herself into the flames. After a moment, she decided she didn't have to. The flames that threw their warmth to her, the warmth she had thought to be comforting, now felt like the intense heat of a witch burning. The great fire wasn't trying to help her, it was trying to destroy the foul demon in its presence. Ray cried and wished for Serena, Mina, any of her friends- even Luna or Artemis. A twang cut into her heart and she sobbed. She wanted Luna but that was impossible. Because of her. _No. No! Luna! Please, please don't. I failed you. I failed you. I failed all of you so bad. So bad. So bad._

And just like all her nights, the nightmares took over and the burning fire would have been a blessing to the twisted memories that burned a hole through her broken soul.

---

She could feel that night, over and over again. Remember every detail,, from coming home that day, laughing with friends, to feeling the new enemies. Seeing the new enemies.

They had looked like normal people and they were- in the basic sense. Unfortunately, none of the Scouts were prepared to fight. When the future King Darien had said the world slept for a thousand years, he did not mean literally. He meant that there was no magic, no surprises. Even their magic, even the magic from the Silver Crystal was canceled. Darien had thought that it would be a good practice, living a life without magic. It would allow them to understand what the people they protected felt like.

But the Scouts never realized how dependent they were on their transformations until they were attacked.

She shuddered and tossed in her sleep, muttering and crying out.

The people had attacked with such speed, swiftness and accuracy, inhumane came to mind. There were two of them, both matured men. They'd laughed at Lita's clumsy attempts to retaliate and even more when Darien told Serena to run. Luna and Artemis joined the fray and worked rather well. Artemis tore up one of the men's arm badly, to the point where it would have to be removed to save his life. The cat didn't stop there. It moved to the same man's eyes, rendering him helpless with a swipe of his sharp claws.

Luna had tried to do the same but only managed to tear off the other's nose before the men got smart.

The bullet shots rang through the air. Both cats fell to the ground, dead bodies rising up dust with the final *thump*. Darien and Lita attacked with furious agony at seeing the two advisors, dead and broken. The sirens went off and the men started hurried up their jobs, knocking out each of the Scouts one by one. Not before Darien permanently hunched one over and not before he turned around and gave one more shot out.

Darien felt no pain. He'd been shot directly between the eyes.

She couldn't take it anymore. But she didn't have to see him long. Her eyes snapped wide, irises widening to the point where she could no longer see and her neck snapped back on the pavement.

Her cries grew louder and louder, tears now pouring through her sleeping eyes. And then she awoke to a house of strangers.

---


	2. Chapter II

Hidden Behind The Mask

Hidden Behind The Mask

By Black Rebellious - a dark Sailor Moon/Gundam Wing cross-over

Rated: R- Drugs, self-torture, death and darkness.

Note: Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing belong to their respective companies and originators. Though I doubt either company would approve of their characters being used like this. 

Chapter II

---

Mina stared out the communicator. She'd been holding it since she left and went back to England, always holding it tightly in her hands like it was some lifeline. She never truly thought they would let her get that far away, always praying that one of them would tear down her pitiful walls of finality and force her to remain. Of course none of them had. None of them were in any position to worry about anyone else.

__

Serena…She was suppose to be the leader of the Sailor Scouts, the one who took care and watched over all of them. The one closest to the princess. That's what Artemis would tell her, when she got homesick or scared. He would tell her that the princess trusted her the most and indeed Serena did. Mina's eyes welled up with tears. _A lovely time to think about Artemis, isn't it?_ she thought bitterly.

"Mina, is everything all right?"

Mina rubbed the coarse sheet against her eyes, wiping away her tears forcefully, and turned to her opening door. Horace, her butler, was looking in worriedly. She smiled the bitterly cheerful smile that felt like plastic wrap against her lips and nodded. "Of course. I just had a bad dream."

"I thought I heard you speaking to someone," he stated in reserved tones, accent bringing out the quality of his words. It was his accent she like best, the soothing way syllables came from his lips.

"I guess I was just talking in my sleep again," Mina sighed and stood from her bed. He looked startled. Ever since she'd come back to find that she was the last remaining member of her family line and thus inherited the family's fortune (a good sized penny, she thought) she'd slept in until nearly ten in the morning, every morning. Not because she was relaxing. Far from it. He had caught her crying in her sleep every night, a sign that worried every butler. Him in particular because he had been her family's butler since he was twenty. He was now nearly fifty and could remember the smiling child Mina's grandmother was before her death. According to Mina, she was the great-great-great-granddaughter of the late Jacquelyn Marie, formerly of Mina's own lineage. Her family's line had been out of touch with the rest of the family after being transferred to Tokyo. Whatever happened to his new Mistress, he was going to find out. And fix, if he could.

Horace shut the door as quietly as he could and set about to make some phone calls. It was going to be a productive morning.

As soon as Horace shut the door, Mina collapsed, holding to her bed as a lifeline against the cold floor. She had made it that way when she came back two weeks ago, taking out the comfortable almost silken carpet and replacing it with plain gray tiles. The chill helped keep her focused in the mornings when the dreams still haunted her mind. Pulling and pushing herself to her feet, Mina stood on shaky knees and walked to her dresser. It was a plain ivory thing but a beauty to behold. Mina dutifully brushed her hair a hundred stroke- more from habit then any conscious thought. She changed from the cotton pajama pants and silky tank top to a fashionable yellow Sunday dress. It was really a yellow skirt connected to a ruffled white shirt with yellow prints on it. The sleeves were sewn off for comfort and Mina glanced at the time. Almost seven in the morning.

She went downstairs, ignoring the massaging feel of the carpet, and ate the small breakfast Horace prepared. Two slices of bread and a plate of bacon and eggs. A glass of orange juice collected dew beside the breakfast. Mina thought it reminded her of some nutritious breakfast from cereal commercials.

Brushing her teeth, Mina walked aimlessly around the rooms. Her estate wasn't too large but it was large enough to don the title of mansion. She was on the first floor. Her bedroom was on the second and the basement made it three stories altogether. 

The house was designed like most ordinary home. First floor was the main rooms- the kitchen, the family room, the front room, etc. None were too complex but the house was well furnished. The second floor was her room- the master's bedroom- three guestrooms, Horace's dorm and a closet. Her bedroom had its own walk-in closet and full scale bathroom. Each of the other rooms had a smaller closet and there were two more bathrooms on that level alone. One for company and the other exclusively for Horace. The first floor had a bathroom as well. Her room had large bay windows and a walk out porch only for her but she could see a similar thing for the three guestrooms. Each of the decks connected to the lower deck of the first level and eventually to the ground. The basement was used mostly as storage. A wine cellar and extra food in case of emergency, it also had a room by itself for meditation. Mina found herself drawn to that room most mornings but couldn't go there just yet.

She thought guiltily of the lie she'd told the faithful Horace. She really was related to whoever that old woman was, the forced DNA test had proven that. The woman was really Mina's great-something niece, daughter of Mina's sister and the boy she had loved…another time, another life. But any life was better then the one the Scouts were forced to live now.

In truth, they had become the immortals Queen Serenity had prophesied they would be. And the first few years of the Sleeping Millennium had passed quickly before that news had been discovered. Mina's eyes clouded. If they were immortal, how did Artemis die? How did Darien? Answers she wasn't ready to face. She thought back on those first few years. Actually, it had been more then a few: dozens of decades passed but the Scouts lived on. Serena had fallen apart at the death of her brother Sammy but Darien was there to comfort her. The Outers visited often, something they never did before. Eventually, Ray suggested they move outside of the city: too many were beginning to question their ageless faces. They'd lost all track of time, living together in happiness until that day they needed supplies and visiting their old, beloved city seemed like a fun thing to do.

Nothing was as it seemed anymore. Time had a way of unraveling even the shake-less foundations.

Mina walked around and passed a huge doorway she never really saw before. Stopped and backtracked. It was an old door, doorknob rusty and as she opened it, the hinges squeaked loudly. There was nothing beyond the door but a blank wall. She frowned and closed the door, noticing the layers of dust on the door. She wiped some dust off and watched as her fingers uncovered a magical entrance. In the wood, a scene of biblical proportions unfolded. It was carved with a talent not easily found.

At the bottom, demons and fiends raged and above them all a single boy stood, somehow sticking out from the crowd. She squinted and rubbed the wood more to see how his long hair glided to his waist. It could be a girl but the face looked masculine. Her eyes traveled up. The boy seemed to be a ruler of the demons because his hand pointed one way and a flow of black tides traveled it. She let loose a breath, touching the fire gently. It looked so real. Just above that scene was another that took place on the earth. Another boy with something in his eye stood in a similar position but bolts, not darkness, went as he directed. He stood in the midst of a storm. She tried to figure out what it was with his eye and concluded the door must have been chipped. Near the storm yet another boy stood. He stood on the back of a gliding dragon and a dozen more majestic creatures flew by him. Where he pointed fire ran. One last boy stood- no, he flew. Giant wings extended from his back and feathers drifted down the door, one feather in each of the three previous scenes. He was…an angel. And he stood alone but the rising sun behind his stretched wings, a sight barely seen spoke of the power behind his gentle eyes. Mina gently allowed herself to touch those eyes, wondering what color they would be if he were real. He pointed and a light stream of power joined the path of the others. But his eyes looked the other way, looking at a point just beyond the door's frame. Mina wondered at this and her eyes followed his sight. She saw nothing. Curious, she looked at the others and saw that each of the four shot their powers one way but looked another. Now more then curious, Mina pressed her fingers along the doorframe.

She stepped back and looked at the door in its entirety. There was still nothing she could see. With a shrug, Mina walked away and continued on her endless journey through her cold, empty house.

---

Lita bit her tongue in uneasiness, fingering her newly cut hair with blistered fingers. Her hands were covered in black gloves, wrist-long and with the backs cut out so she could flex her hands easily. Her hair, once mid-back length, was now only a few inches long or so. It was back to the length she'd worn while a Sailor Scout.

Her fingers left her hair abruptly as the train whistled, letting passengers know of its destination arrival.

Lita hastily lifted her bags from the high racks above her and shoved her way through the crowd. She ignored the complaints of "how rude" and "excuse you," sending the more vocal ones a glare that shut them up. 

"Hello Miss. Your trip was satisfactory, I hope," a grinning employee of the train station asked, stamping her passport as she entered the foreign country. Lita didn't reply and moved past as soon as she could.

She stepped from the station and for a moment just stood and breathed the fresh air.

Japan. She thought she'd never see it again.

Never losing the foul expression, Lita neatly slammed the bags into the trunk of her pre-rented blue Mercedes and began to drive.

She'd arrived from her trips all across Asia. Knowing only Japanese had been hard at first but she learned enough of the Chinese language to get by during her trips to strengthen her body. When Ray called, the steady routine Lita had let control her life since she left Tokyo fell apart. Even if the priestess had not called the day before, Lita couldn't stay away from her princess for much longer.

The way she entered the country was easily arranged. It had been ready to use since she left, a ride home in case of emergencies. Flying to the country's border and taking the train to the heart of Tokyo, Lita walked down the streets that had once been so welcome to her.

Tokyo had fallen apart. Since the "Sleeping Millennium" had begun, Lita couldn't wait for it to end. Half of the city had deteriorated into something that would be easier to burn off the face of the planet then to try to fix up. She heard rumors of the gang violence, the perverted nature of the darker side of Tokyo and now believed it as she never had before. It was funny to think what two weeks absence could do to change someone's life.

Lita passed Andrew's arcade. His old arcade had unfortunately fallen into the wrong side of town and the arcade had been transformed by its new owners into a rather drug loaded night club. "Closed until 11:00pm." The sign read. Lita passed quickly.

After a few blocks, she passed the remains of the high school that had been home to the best of her memories. Lita read an article that the gangs had been using it as a hideout, even during school hours, until the police finally opened fire one Saturday. The battle that followed tore the already old school to its foundations. That had been years ago. Years since their old lives in the high school. It had been new, or nearly so the days the Sailor Scouts had populated the halls.

Lita strolled down the street to the city's sanctuary, the untouchable refuge even the worst of the gangsters refused to defile. Ray's temple. Lita glared. Her life had fallen apart but Ray's temple stood as it had in the days of old, looking at her, mocking her pain and saying "look at me, I have survived where even you could not."

She started up the steps, hearing the screams of the crows long before she reached the top. Nothing had changed the temple, not even the years that passed. It had been painted white from the beginning and wind had only strengthened that color to a bone-like shade. The great fire burned as it always did and always would, filling the air with the scent of burning wood that tingled with the already lit incense.

Ray stood at the top, sweeping the stairs with her one-mindedness she gave to all tasks. Amy leaned tiredly against one of the temple's walls, letting her head lay in the shade and eyes closed while the breeze ruffled her hair.

They didn't hear her coming until Ray heard her crows. All three stiffened at the reunion, silent but for the silent wings clawing at the air. The two crows fell to the ground in a graceless motion, their movements jerky and uncoordinated.

Ray broke the silence, her robes rustling as she moved to catch her falling birds, nearly clipping them from the air. Neither were the two she had before but were wild birds that showed up one day, abandoned babes. Neither was proficient at flying just yet so Ray now caught them automatically before their spines cracked against the hard pavement.

Ray stroked the birds, letting Lita decide how the situation turned out. Lita closed her eyes and exhaled loudly. She let go of her bags and they fell to the ground with a *thump*. "What do you want me to do?"

---

"Who are you!" she demanded, "and where am I?"

Duo leaped back as she let out another well-placed high kick, nearly tripping over some equipment. "Hey, lay off will ya?" She paused to catch her breath and he smiled. "See. If you keep going on like that, someone's going to get hurt-"

"Like you!" she yelled, back in action faster then he would have thought. Her long hair, something that would have been a disability to others, flowed like a part of her body. It never got in her way and always eluded his hands but was always there, making her a shining beauty even in battle.

Duo jumped back, barely dodging her fist and not even seeing her attack until it hit him in the gut. While her left fist swiped at his face, her right imbedded itself in his gut. Duo acted instinctively, sending the unnamed girl flying with a startled "eep!" into the opposite wall. She seemed to hang against the wall for a moment before slumping forward limply. Quatra jogged over there and checked her pulse.

He looked up and shook his head. "You shouldn't have been so rough, Duo," he chided, stretching the girl out on a mat as she was before. "You know you're too strong for her."

"Well, you should've pull her offa me," Duo shouted back, rubbing his belly sorrowfully. He winced as his fingers touched a weak spot.

Wufei snorted and then laughed. "You looked like you had things under control,"

Duo glared and limped dramatically to a chair. He turned his glare on the two unresponsive men still standing, unmoved by the whole ordeal. "And why didn't you guys help, huh? Just standing there like it was some sort of freak show…"

Trowa shrugged. "She isn't too hard to fight against. Quatra's right, you should have controlled your power."

"She opens her eyes one minute and the next is throwing her fists around! What am I suppose to do!" Trowa shrugged again, obviously not caring about Duo's tantrum.

"Why are we after her again?" Quatra asked, coming back into the wide circle formed by the ex-pilots. "There hasn't been any violence in the last four years- at least, nothing major enough to warrant the attention of us pilots. Why is this girl suddenly the center of attention?"

"What do you mean?" Wufei asked. "I thought we were the only ones looking for her." He glared at the last of the group, clenching his teeth. "Have you been holding out information, Yuy?"

Heero glared at them before producing three different folders, slim with barely anything in them. "Yesterday, we were the only ones," he replied in sharp, clipped tones that suggested his anger at being accused of suspicion. "Today, two more groups appeared with an interest in them. One was the Earth Sphere Alliance-"

"Relena?" Quatra asked. "What does Relena want with her?"

Trowa took the first folder Heero produced and answered distractedly, "She may have discovered something she wants to figure out. Or it may not be. Relena is not the only high-ranking official in the Alliance."

"The other group?" Wufei pressed.

"A group of unknown individual, older men who have kept a good cloak over their identities," Heero answered plainly. His fist clenched slightly and his jaw was tight, signs that went unobserved by his friends. They took notice of the stiff tone he used but thought nothing of it.  
"'Old men'? Why would they want her? Unless she was, you know, like that," Duo grinned. Wufei glared. Quatra blushed and the last two made no reply to the statement.

"Who's in the last folder?" Trowa asked.

Heero gave him the last folder, having already memorized the information in all three folders. Duo had finished glancing over the first two, handing them over to Quatra and Wufei, and was hungrily watching Trowa handle the final binder. Wufei held the first portfolio, looking at the limited information of the Alliance's searches and Quatra opened the second with obvious distaste, glancing at the information of the same amount over the group of older men.

"A group of girls?" Trowa asked in confusion, eyeing the different pictures and reading the classified information.

"Lemme see!" Duo piped, ripping the folder from Trowa's hands. "Wow…they aren't your normal teens." He grinned widely at his friends. "They're beautiful."

"They aren't what they seem," Heero informed. "Apparently, they-or someone like them- have been around since the end of the BC/AD. timeline, nearly 950 years."

"What?" Wufei sneered. "You must be joking! There is no one alive at that age and even if there was, their age wouldn't be hidden like that!" He gestured to the pictures Duo had passed around. "They look hardly out of their teen years."

"They look our age," Quatra observed lightly, sneaking a glance at the girl unconscious behind them. "Like her."

The room silenced a moment as the ex-pilots considered this latest observation but Wufei soon cut the quiet by once more demanding that they realize that there was "no possible way for these women to be nearly 1,000 years old." To prove his point, the Chinese folded his arms across his chest defiantly and demanded that "If you believe there is a way these women are as old as you believe them to be, show me some proof. I won't believe it any other way."

Heero took the incentive and lifted the third folder from Trowa's hands again and took out a thin report, about five pages altogether, and gave it to Wufei. Wufei took the report and flipped through the pages. He actually laughed. "'Sailor Scouts?'"

The girl mumbled something in her sleep but only Heero noticed. She curled back up and shivered. Another nightmare. Her eyes were still red from the last nightmare and the tears hadn't completely dried from her cheeks. Heero's ears caught half-muttered phrases and the words sparked his interest.

"What, the legends?" Duo reached for the report but Wufei stretched it out of his reach, still skimming the contents while keeping the information-hungry American at bay.

"Legends?" Quatra folded his binder shut and looked at Duo with interest. "What are you talking about?"

Wufei barked a laugh, keeping Duo at arm's length. "He's talking about the Japanese 'Beautiful Soldiers,' a myth from nearly a thousand years ago." His black eyes narrowed and he shot Heero a look. "It's your country, you should know the legend by heart. Considering the amount of attention they placed on that particular child tale."

Duo sat down, huffing at not getting what he wanted. Seeing Quatra and even Trowa looking at him curiously, he waved a hand. "All I know is that these beauty chicks supposedly saved the world and disappeared."

"The legend states that many years ago, the solar system had a very different look. Every planet was populated by their own species of humanoid breeds. Even the moon had its own species. The moon was home to the main rulers of the solar system, the Moon Kingdom and its family." Heero shook his head, oblivious to the shocked stares of his comrades. "There was a thousand years of peace until an evil attacked and destroyed the kingdom. The current ruler, Queen Serenity, gave her life for her daughter, also named Serenity, her daughter's fiancé and prince of the earth, Darien, as well as the princess's royal guard, known as the Sailor Scouts. She sent them to the end of the twentieth century with no memory whatsoever. The princess joined the Sailor Scouts and became Sailor Moon. Her fiancé became her protector and together with her Sailor Scouts, they conquered evil during their stay on the earth. The legend goes on to state that they will return after a millennium to restore peace and at that time, the princess will take up the title of Neo-Queen Serenity and rule over the earth with her husband and Scouts."

"It is a legend with absolutely no proof behind it," Wufei declared, finally handing over the report to Duo's eager hands. "In China, it has been given the title of wishful thinking during the war."

"Never knew you could talk so much," Duo remarked, reading the report enthusiastically.

"That's a nice legend," Quatra stated dutifully, "but was does it have to do with anything?"

Heero pointed to the girl. "Apparently, she's connected to these mysterious Sailor Scouts."

Quatra looked stunned. "Do you actually believe the legend?" he questioned softly. "Do you believe that there was actually a Moon Kingdom or that these Sailor Scouts existed?"

Heero's cold eyes cleared the question. Quatra looked down uncomfortably. Heero looked like he had during the missions: completely concentrated and giving his undivided attention to the task at hand.

"Why do you care so much about the Scouts?" the girl asked, leaning on her arm. Wufei whipped around and Duo leaped back, both caught unaware at her conscious state. Trowa leaned back and Quatra stepped back, eyes wide.  
Duo recovered first, flashing his famous, unarming smile. "Hey babe, you're up."

She looked at him in confusion for a minute before pointing a shaky finger to him. she hadn't fully recovered from the drugs, nightmares, and battle-induced sleep. "Y-You're the guy from the bar!"

"You remembered!" he smiled widely. "Most girls don't-"

"Duo!" Quatra broke in, cheeks flushed. He nodded his head towards her. "I apologize for him-

"Quatra!"

"-as well as for your treatment. I assure you we mean you no harm."

"What do you want with the Scouts?" she pressed, staring at Heero with wide eyes. Duo noticed how blue they were, how innocent- not completely but more then most of the people he knew. Not surprising.

"Why is everyone bringing up these fables!" Wufei fumed. He stopped and pointed an accusing finger at the startled girl. "You do not believe these tales do you?"

She stared back at him, not answering. Trowa cleared his throat suggestively and Wufei looked away, cheeks pale. He did not like what he saw in her torn eyes.

"Well?" She never let go but Heero was not one to answer to other's forceful questions. The staring contest between the two made the room decidedly uncomfortable. Quatra started to say something but Trowa caught him, shaking his head slightly. Wufei and Duo held back, quietly circling the girl and Heero, trying to understand what was going on. This girl that Heero announced was a danger is suddenly awake and undeniably harmless. At least to them. Which wasn't what Heero had inferred several days ago when the search had started.

---

"Hey Heero, what's up?" Duo asked cheerfully, leaning back on his chair with his feet on the table. He knew Quatra wouldn't be happy but it wasn't about to stop him. he sipped on his orange juice, thinking up a poem about the wonderful juice. It would go something like: OJ, OJ, what a great day, To drink OJ, Not the guy, The drink, OJ, OJ, what a wonderful day…it sort of trailed off there. He admitted it wasn't the best but he had just thought it up. He sipped some more. Maybe adding something about how nice and cool it was-

"Duo, get in here."

Duo nearly fell from his chair. Outside, the other four were waiting for him, Wufei with obvious annoyance.

"What's going on?"

Wufei frowned but Quatra averted an argument by quickly saying, "Heero needs to talk to us."

Outside, near the garage (Heero didn't want to go downstairs, saying it wasn't that important) the five glanced at each other and Heero finally began to speak.

"Wufei, have you seen this girl?" A picture was passed between them of a blonde looking rather drunk and in the middle of a crowd. Wufei shook his head and Heero passed it to Trowa who replied negatively.

"Is she important?" Duo asked the obvious question. No one answered because they didn't need to.

"She's a danger and needs to be found immediately."

Heero's simple sentence was all that was needed to bring the dangerous pilots back to life and she was found nearly half a day later. A day after that was spent in observations and then that night the opportunity presented itself and the girl was taken. No one even knew her name.

---

"Answer me!" she broke out, getting desperate. His silence unnerved her as it did everyone not accustomed to him. It unnerved even the closest of friends and when he sent them a serious stare, none could stand him down without some serious motivation.

"Why?"

She stepped back as he took a step forward, all offensive. His face was blank but his eyes seemed to burn with some fire. Wufei and Duo stopped their observing, stunned at the sudden change and even stepped away despite their own trust in Heero. Trowa and Quatra stood sharply at full alert. "What do _you_ have to do with the Scouts?"

"W-what?" she stammered.

"I _know_ you have something to do with them," he rumbled, voice deep and eyes sharp. "And I want to know exactly what it is."

She gathered her courage. "You have _no_ idea what you're talking about! So answer me- what are you doing, looking for the Scouts?"

His eyes widened in sudden understanding and Heero of the Gundam pilots looked dumbfounded.

Sensing his realization, the girl dived for the door. Trowa grabbed her by her shoulders and was shocked as she twisted out of his reach, fast enough to swing her feet by his and knocking him to his knees. Quatra was beside him and grabbed her arm, pulling her back. Duo and Wufei each knocked her to the floor. She took a deep breath and reached for a broach hanging on her neck.

"No!" Heero slapped her hand back, grabbing the broach and ripping it from her neck.

"Give that back!"

Heero grabbed her chin and shook it harshly, sending her back to reality and making her focus. "How long has it been?" he asked.

The other ex-pilots looked at each other with confusion, not knowing what he was talking about. She sniffed and shook her head. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" he repeated incredulously and she nodded in despair. He paused a moment to think and then looked at the broach in his hands. "How did you get it back?"

"Don't you know?"

He brushed a tear from her cheek with such gentleness the ex-pilots fell back from wonder. "I have a pretty good idea."

She sniffed loudly. "They had found it and decided that if the crystal was real, everything else was too. That's when they found us. They only had my crystal. All the other ones are still missing and won't be found until their time. That's what mother said."

"She still speaks to you?"

The girl nodded. "Hey, you want to explain to the rest of us?" Duo asked sarcastically. Heero looked at the girl before saying "Let her go, she doesn't need to run away."

Wufei released her reluctantly as did the others. She rubbed her arms with the freedom and shivered. Heero, the kind, even gentle person he was to her disappeared to his usual aloof and cold personality, a relief the ex-pilots didn't want to admit. They just weren't use to Heero displaying any emotion and to a stranger…

"So, what's your name?"

She stole a glance to Heero, hurt by his cold change, and looked back to Duo. "Serena."

"That it?" he asked, scratching his forehead. She nodded. Quatra smiled a bit forcefully and introduced himself as just "Quatra." Trowa and Wufei did likewise. Duo, on the other hand, smiled brightly, winning her trust as he had done so many other times with others.

"Can, can I go outside?"

Duo smiled and offered his arm. "'Course. It's right up here." No one objected to Duo assumed it was all right. He found himself getting more and more curious of Heero's split personality and the girl's importance as neither presented answer.

Serena was amazed at the mansion's appearance. She wandered through the levels, stopping to stare at famous pieces of work or at the sheer magnitude of the place. Heero walked away, leaving at a moment no one noticed and long gone by the time the others become aware of it. Wufei frowned and muttered something about Heero dumping his responsibility on them.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked innocently, opening up to them once she understood she was clear of any danger. Quatra shot Wufei a look and told Serena to nevermind.

---


	3. Chapter III

Hidden Behind The Mask

Hidden Behind The Mask

By Black Rebellious - a dark Sailor Moon/Gundam Wing cross-over

Rated: R- Drugs, self-torture, death and darkness.

Note: Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing belong to their respective companies and originators. But this is really more of a 1/2 Sailor Moon/GW cross-over, since half of the main Sailor Moon characters have been killed off at this point.

Chapter III

---

Pluto sat at her throne beside the Gates of Time, tapping a patient finger on her metallic staff. The garnet end glowed with her endless thoughts, allowing her the power to sort the millions of memories coming to her each second. She looked around in surprise, noticing her isolated position for the first time.

"Where are Uranus and Neptune?" she murmured, half to herself and half to the only other person in the room.

Saturn sighed. "They have been gone for a long time. Don't you remember?"

Pluto squinted her eyes, searching through the many memories until at last the answer came to her. "Yes…they went to help the princess…"

Saturn stood and walked from her spot on the edge of the stable area where the Gates stood. She had been cloaked in the darkness, an arrangement getting more and more comfortable as time passed (in a matter of speaking) until now it was her own mini-sanctuary. It was as far as she could get from the unstable Guardian of Time without becoming lost in the time warp.

She called up a tissue from sub-space and wiped the tears from Pluto's face away. She then used the tear-wetted napkin to cool the princess's fever heated forehead. It was weird, taking care of the immortal Scout like a child, almost frightening. But it was the only choice Saturn had and the only thing she could possibly do at the moment without feeling guilt.

Pluto had finally cracked beneath the pressure of time. Not because it was too much to handle-Pluto was strong enough to hold out until the end of time and then do it over and over again for eternity. No, it was the death of her fantasized prince, Darien of earth, that shattered Pluto's defenses to the point of no return.

"H-Have they come back yet?"

Saturn turned her dark purple eyes to the deep garnets of Pluto. "Not yet, but they will," Saturn comforted and when Pluto fell back into her state of delirium, Saturn stepped back and away to her own dark corner again. She didn't want to be near the Time Guardian when the memories came. Memories of a time that never happened, never existed but had once appeared as a possible future-Pluto had seen them all, experienced each life as though it were the reality fate denied her. When Pluto first felt Darien's death, when her grip on time had cracked, Saturn discovered why Pluto so loved the prince that would be forever out of her reach. The answer had been obvious.

In one of her futures, Pluto had become engaged and even married to the black haired prince, living a life full of happiness. Somehow in that future, time had become so utterly warped that Serena had ended up as a girl on the other side of the planet and left Trista alone with Darien. It was so utterly tragic: Pluto remained absolutely loyal to her never-known husband of a different dream even while she lived such a lonely reality. 

Other futures whose trails were better left untried had evaded Pluto's weak control left Saturn's mind spinning. Ages of darkness with absolutely nothing to hope for until the princess appeared in a flash of light, saving humanity. A world made of clouds where men and women flew through the skies -the evolution of the Moon Kingdom, had the Silver Millennium never been stopped. Worlds spanning across many universe with speeds so fast one couldn't blink before reaching one's destination where the people rode on waves of light and surfed the stars. One future even showed the world sunk by evil until the only land left was soaking deep beneath the seas. 

Many Saturn could not make sense of and more she did not _want_ to but a few were bitter-sweet romances, other hilarious comedies and all had wormed into her brain during a few moments of unguarded time. To think that Pluto would handle such things every moment of her existence, feeling emotions that did not belong to her present self and living a single moment over and over. Pluto knew history's story, cover to cover, even the many side stories or ideas that were never truly added to the main plot.

Saturn could and would not handle it and wished once more in what may have been forever or a moment before that she had gone with the older Scouts to protect the princess. Anything would be better then taking care of an unstable princess, especially one who controlled time. Who knew what could happen here at time's entrance? Who knew what this unguarded moment would bring? Saturn shivered and fell back into the shadows.

But not before she caught another glimpse of the sobbing Pluto.

---

"Mina. Your bags are all packed and ready to go."

"Thank you Horace."

"Now, remember. If there is anything you need me for-"

"I know. I'll call or else I'll just catch the next shuttle home. Goodbye Horace."

"Goodbye, Miss Mina."

Mina walked, her longs legs steady despite her beating heart. Lightning raced in her veins, having a competition to see which destroyed her first- the pressure of becoming the leader of the Sailor Scouts again or the uneven pumping of her heart. Japan had changed much since they'd been there.

Of course it would. It had been nearly fifty years since she last touched the black soil of this land.

Mina tried to remember exactly what happened after Darien's death. There wasn't much to remember. The Scouts had been knocked out and drugged, taken to a place without a name by evil men without souls. There, after many weeks, months, years, whatever, the Scouts had escaped. Through force.

The men had been amazed by their natural resistance to nearly every disease but had had quite some fun after discovering Serena's fear of lightening and thunder. The bastards would purposely leave her outside during a storm. Mina could never really see them but there were at least five. They'd put the Scouts through tests and experiments of all kinds, trying to "enhance" their strength, speed and endurance but never really seeing their true powers.

How could they, when at the start of the Sleeping Millennium, all of the crystals, transforming pens, even the Rose had vanished. So each of the men had satisfied themselves with playing with the girl's false forms until totally exhausted and angry.

Lita was the one with the plan. She discussed with Ray and Amy, leaving Mina to take care of Serena. Mina had no clue how they did it but one night, Lita shook her awake and told her to run.

It had been literally years since their capture and Mina couldn't take it no more so she left to see what was left of her family. And had inherited. From what she understood, Ray and Lita had then fought over leadership of the Scouts until Lita stormed off and Amy stuck with the broken Serena through it all. During the whole thing, none of the Outers dared to show themselves.

Times had changed greatly from the days of bus and bike. There had been a war recently between the Space Colonies, space ports large enough to qualify as small countries from Mina's days, and the earth. Mina had been in captivity all through the war, now known as the Eve Wars, and the mini-war that followed, dubbed the Marie-Maya War. In both wars, huge mechanical machines known as Gundams fought for peace and justice, like the Sailor Scouts once did. Ironic, that once the old force could no longer do its job, a fresher, more powerful force stepped up to push it from its spot.

Now, shuttles transported people from space to earth in as much time as a plane did back in the twentieth century. Electric cars were collectable items and new, solar powered vehicles with panels hidden all over the exterior, were just beginning to fade. Bikes were still popular but much more powerful and technology ruled over all. Mina still had to wonder at nights as she looked up to see the many shining stars that weren't stars. She wondered if she could live on Venus, being its princess and all.

She wondered if she should live in space.

"Mina?"

Mina turned her head to the sound, starting at the familiar voice. "Amy. I-I didn't see you."

Amy smiled weakly. "I could see that," she replied in a strained voice. She hadn't changed much from her teenage years aside from the fact that she had matured. Tall but not too tall with short, stylish dark blue hair and a face free from the stress her eyes belied, Amy was as strong mentally as well as physically as she had ever been. Her wardrobe now consisted of dress suits, most of them ranging from a deep Atlantic sapphire to a windy azure to a misty cerulean. All of her clothing was blue now. A symbol of her power, no matter how unconscious she was of the fact.

Mina was the same. Her color of clothing extended from the brightest gold to a dull yellow. Her own body had matured as she suspected everyone's had. And they would all wear their colors to declare their status.

"I'm sorry. I would have been here yesterday but-"

"It's all right. Lita got here yesterday…let's get to the temple," Amy changed the subjects a bit too fast. Mina may not have been at her best at the moment but she could catch the undertone of worry in Amy's voice.

"What is it?"

"Ray is still mad about Lita just leaving and Lita refuses to being subject to Ray," Amy muttered quietly, so low Mina could hardly catch the words. "There is so much tension it's almost like the air had been turned to ice."

Mina digested the statement as they walked through the streets of the gangster Tokyo, reaching the pure temple.

Lita stood against a wall, casually like she had lived in the ghettos all her life. Her brown hair tied in its customary ponytail, Mina noted with no surprise the hidden muscles that had grown to womanly size in Lita's forearms and exposed calves. Lita wore a black skirt that rose just below the knee with a forest green blouse that rustled its silky material in a breeze. Tall black boots laced their way up to her mid-calf. Lita was now tall, proud, and looked ready to snap.

Ray stepped from the gate's walls, holding a stick of incense to light her way. Mina didn't realize how late it had become. Or how tired she was. Ray looked at her, brushing long raven hair from her delicately pale face, and lowered her eyes. Her cheekbones were high and her cheeks were tinted from the candle's heat, signs of the great beauty Ray had grown into. Her body was hidden by the large traditional wear of the priestess but Mina believed the clothing hid a perfectly fit body, ready to charge into danger and coiled with action.

"Mina."

Mina tipped her head. "Ray. Lita."

Ray waved a hand. "Come. Tomorrow will be a long day. I already have a room prepared for you."

Two ravens cawed from the air. Mina inclined her neck back, eyes taking in the ravens. "Who are they?"

"Urim and Makor." Ray raised her eyes to stare into Mina's bright orbs. "Light and Source."

"What happened to-"

"Dead." Ray's eyes fell once more in the presence of the leader she had tried so hard to emulate. Attempts that had failed and ended up with the Scouts being taken apart, piece by piece. "Your room?"

Urim glared at the intruder but Makor spread its wings, brushing Mina's hair lightly with the extended feathers before tripping over the air currants and falling fast. Mina blinked at the whoosh of air as Ray nimbly caught the falling bird midair, correcting its flying patterns and setting it free once more. Mina looked a question to Ray.

"They are orphans. Not very good at flying just yet. Sometimes, they fall and I have to catch them," Ray shook her head. "But I'm not always there in time."

Mina closed her eyes and allowed herself to be lead by sense alone.

---

Late that night, Ray opened the door, face sweaty. She's spent most of the day locked inside with the great fire, consulting it for wisdom and guidance. Anything was better then being under Mina's blank stare. Ray clenched her fist and her right hand shot up, gripping her mouth shut against the sob that threatened to release itself. She literally held her mouth shut against the burning feeling that stung the back of her throat.

Ray leaned against a pool, eyes cloudy from misty tears. She raised a shaky hand and gazed at the perfect tear she'd plucked from her cheeks. Another tear? When so many had already fallen, Ray no longer believed the droplets meant anything. Not anymore. They had no power to stop pain, to ease one's suffering. All they did was redden her eyes and damp her cheeks. Almost disgusted, Ray rubbed the tear vengefully into her forefinger, skin hungrily sucking up the moisture.

Ray sighed and wiped away all evidence that she'd been crying, leaning back into the pole as she hugged herself with long arms. She gazed up at the innocent stars that still dared to shine in the night sky like diamond specks, despite all that happened- the stars still dared to try and raise her hopes, dreams…

Urim fluttered in the air bathing Ray with a few prize feathers. Ray lifted one from the heavy priestess robes draped along her body and stared at it. The feather was a fine black, silky and smooth against the thin ivory-white bone like structure that held the feather together. Ray absently ran the feather through her fingers, gaze turning back up towards the stars. The other feathers drifted away, gliding on the whisper light breeze that rankled the trees' leaves and enchanted the temple chimes.

Makor swooped in from above, obviously the better flyer of the two, and dropped onto Ray's shoulder, clawing at the deeply padded cloth it used so often as a perch, using its inch-long talons to support its hasty landing. Its yellow beak reflected the moon's weak light, shiny surface bright even at night. One of Ray's hands reached up to rub the bird's soft and delicate skull white her other hand darted into one of her huge pockets. From it she withdrew the bread bits she always carried, reaching up to offer it to the raven. Makor ate it up hungrily, devouring the slightly moistured bread.

Sensing its sibling's feast, Urim let loose a piercing cry and landed on Ray's other shoulder, nipping her ear lightly. Ray winced and soon the two birds quietly finished off the bread, all the while tightening their deadly grip on her shoulders. Ray stood slowly, letting the birds adjust to her movements and her made her way to the courtyard. Leaning against on of the stone benches was the broom she never remembered to put away. She touched the ancient wooden handle and continued on, heading for the gate at the bottom of the long stairway. She couldn't remember whether or not she had locked it shut but she would sacrifice these few moments to check.

Makor spread its wings, wingspan about two feet across. It moved the feathers uneasily, flapping them as it tried to remain balanced. It let out a shrill scream of alarm and hopped from foot to foot, pressuring Ray's shoulder.

Ray's head swung to the right, stopping halfway through the courtyard as she tried to spot the presence she felt and Makor confirmed. _It could just be Amy,_ she reasoned to herself, trying to ease the sense of alarm clawing its way up her throat. The genius had been caught before, journeying through the mini-forest within the temple walls. But this presence didn't have the icy feel Ray could spot a mile away. _Maybe it's Mina or Lita._ Who knows what either of them liked to do. Perhaps they also liked to walk out at night, preferring to watch the cold and distant moon from afar and reminiscing on days past then to sleep the night hours away. 

Urim's head shot up, eyes fixed on a point to Ray's left. Makor quieted its balancing dance and settled on Ray's shoulder more securely, also staring forward at the same place. Both birds had gone as still as stone except for the occasional flutter of their wings. 

Guided by their reactions, Ray followed their gaze and entered the dimly lit tree realm, walking between the huge trunks of the great trees. She knew this place like the back of her hand, remembering all the times she ran through these dark halls away from the world only to be followed and lured out by her grandfather. Some of the trees grew close enough to the walls and were old enough to serve as a ladder for the skilled, a back exit out of the temple. 

To her surprise, Urim and Makor took off with a scream. Their wide wings skimmed through the air like poisoned darts, camouflaging with the night. The black feathers circled high in the air, making not a sound in the night. Ray watched, transfixed by their smooth and elegant motions, no effort going into their flying as though more important things needed to be considered. As one, the two birds dived deep, losing themselves from Ray's view and plunging into the treetops. Ray heard small branches breaking from their plunge, leaves crinkling to the floor and took off toward the noises. 

She ducked low branches, stepping carefully with no noise.

"Princess, the Moon Kingdom needs you," a voice called out.

Ray narrowed her eyes and didn't stop during her search for her ravens and for the voice that was talking to her. Something grabbed her shoulder and Ray brought the mute Urim to her forearm, ignoring the way its talons ripped into her robes, breaking the surface of her delicate skin. She spared the bird a glance and broke her silence for the first time that night. "Where's your brother?"

Makor soared into her view suddenly, nearly hitting her. The sudden appearance scared Ray and she flung her arms with up a scream, forgetting all about the other bird firmly attacked to one of her arms. Urim took off with a shrill cry, half thrown into the air by Ray's impulsive actions. It took the clump of clothe that it had been resting on with it into flight as well as a sizable portion of the priestess's arm, striking a deep wound into her. Ray screamed again, clutching at her arm in pain and turned around, running for the safety of the temple. Urim shrilled another scream, a warning to the alien presence of the forest, and followed its mistress. Makor climbed the air, higher and higher, until it found the branch it was searching for. With a screech, the huge raven spread its wings and drifted to the branch. A fisted arm shot out, catching the raven and drawing back into the shadows. The presence rubbed the bird's skull thoughtfully before flinging it into the air, ignoring its graceful flight as it dropped to the ground and followed quietly. 


End file.
